The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1887-04-01
THE WORLD OF LABOR.

Friday 80 girls employed in the splnnin.
room OF the Washington millstwent on strike
| They work on winders, and until a new over
seer took charge the machines each required
the services OF six girls. The new oversee
wants three girls to do the work formerly don,
4 by six, no increase to be given 10 pay. The girl
refused and went out.
1t IS reported that hereafter the Whitman
ass, shoe manufacturers intend to make al
their contracts for lasting directly with thu
knights of Labor and not with the Lastcrs
union, as has heretofore been the custom.
The strike of 1900 silk dycrs at Paterson, n
j, which has lasted Oversix weeks, ended Sat
urday. The result Is a complete victory for tht
manufacturers.
General Master Workman Powderly has is
sued special notice to all the district assem-
hiies of the knights OF Labor in Pennsylvania
| calling a state convention to be held at Harris.
burg On April Z, to consider legislation.
| (. Louis F Post Tuesday filed with the clerk o.
the United States circuit court at Ne" York the
i ans wers OF James Z Quinn, Timothy Put
nam, Patrick Mcfarland, John McKenna
! and james McGrath, the knights Of Labor
| against whom the Old Dominion steamship
company brought suit for $4,000 manages
! and who were held in bail for uial The case
grew ont of the boycott OF freight handled by
| the company. In their answers. Quinn, Put
nam, ard Mcfarland deny all the other allega
| tlOUS GBu CldiiH tudb LUG lODSohOiChCu WIZ
| "locked out" by the company because they re-
| fused TO accept reduction OF wages; that the
| employ cs we're held by the hour only and were
| under no contract for any term CT service what
ever that the longshoremen met in peace
| able and orderly manner for the purpose oil
maintaining the rate Of wages OF their craft and
| they (he defendants) only acted as mediaries
| to settle the dispute. McKenna and McGrath
admit being officers Of the Ocean association OF
| longs horemen and claim that they were jusi-
fled in their actions, being under no contract to
| tia Old Dominion company. The defendants
| ask for judgment dismissing the case with
costs.
TIC struggle between capital and labor Al
New Orleans promises TO introduce the cOmpl-
cation of tue race issue. The labor organ IL alton
| in New Orleans Is universally powerful and
| compact, and Is one OF the most complete pieces
OF political machinery on the continent. Now
| the labor leaders Of the Crescent city seem
| about to breach the race issue and involve
themselves in entanglcments they do not under
stand and are utterly powerless to control.
| MIR Powderly's idea of a convention OF the
| coolest knights in Pennsylvania at Harrisburg,
to concentrate the support Of the order upon the
two or three important bills in their interest be-
| fore the legislature, is cminently Judicious.
Two hundred and fifty delegates from 80 Of
| the princi al cities between Boston and San
| Francisco met in the Grand Pacific hotel at
4 CDlchCO luSsudy, IOT tue uT5t hiluudi COuNcu
| ton of the national builders association. Geo
| G Prussins of Chicago was made permanent
| chairman, and WIN II Saywood of Boston, sec
| rotary.
| Labor troubles are rapidly adjusting them
sslves. On cheap grades workmen are making
concessions and fixing prices for year on the
| basis OF the recommendations o. the state board
| of arbitration. Three weeks ago the Reporter
stated that the employees had become much
more reasonable in their demands, ard express
ed belief that the recnDmeI dations OF the
state board would in the main be accepted.
They have been. At first there wes some dis
position on The part OF organized labor TO limit
the application OF the prices recommended TO
the grain shoe. That it was nistake 10 as
sumo such position 5000 became apparent,
and IL was abandoned. Manufacturers and
workmen, the latter either individually or
through committees, are coming together and
quietly fixing price for every operation con
sidered by the state board on almost all shoes
that sell to the jobbiug trade at 81 % per pair
and less. Boy Dad tSij Concessions are being
quietly made TO some manufacturers OF liner
grades.
Alta meeting OF delegates from the metal
workers assem- biIes of the Knights Of Labor,
held in Boston on Saturday evening tor the
consideration of the Saturday half-hoiiday, or
for the reduction OF the hours Of labor TO lfty-
four per week, il was decided 10 report back 10
the local bodies and get them TO express their
preference as TO whether the method OF reduc-
ton should be nine hours per day, or hail.
holiday on Saturday, and that another meeting
be held on the evening OF April y.
Ten thousand journeymen, carpenters and
builders at Rochester, n Y, threaten to strike
unless their demands of nine hours be granted.
The glass oil osn manufacturers Of the United
States met at Piisburg, Pa, Wednesday and
formed an association for The maintenance OF
prices. l. liaTKcr OF Columbus, y. vas
elected presideu: and w y Campbell OF Chica-
20 secretary and treasurer. All the firms in ihe
country bni three were presented. Trade
was reported good.
A big rally was held az Worcester Wednes-
day night in the Interests OF the locked-out
shoe men.